Preparation to Successful Performance
Performers show the achievement of their technique and musicianship on stage. They
experience a great amount of satisfaction after completing months of practice.
Performance is a challenge. Even if one practices very hard, performance is always dangerous
on stage playing under pressure in front of people, playing a different piano in different
environment.
There are problems in memorizing, mental care and physical care before stepping on stage.
Here are some tips to the preparation.
1. Mentally
Emotion has to be extraordinarily stable at performance. If one is angry, sad or too happy, it
would be difficult to manage the performance on stage. Expressing honest feeling may be
important for life but be patient and wait until the concert is over. Keep brain cool.
Managing mentality is a discipline. You may experience a lot of distraction about performance
such as I could not practice very well because of such reasons. Keyboard of the concert piano
is so heavy. Audience is noisy, Concert hall does not have enough lights, Cold weather made
fingers so stiff, and etc.. Think in this way there is no excuse for all the above. You've got to
do. Perfect environment for performance never be expected. We have to do it no matter what
the circumstances might be. Performers require a strong resolve to handle these distractions.
Performance is not only a challenge just to playing but also a challenge to control yourself.
Mentality has to be strong enough to fight against distraction.
2. Technically
Memorizing should be done at an early stage of practice. Many sections of advanced pieces are
impossible either to practice or to play without memorizing.
Practice with ONE HAND WITHOUT PEDAL everyday. It is one of the shortest ways to find a
dangerous part (memory slips, mental block, etc.) of the piece. Dangerous parts have to be
recognized and practiced thoroughly. Practicing without pedal helps to keep up the
memorization.
Practice also with both hands without pedal everyday. It may be time consuming but works.
Shortly before the performance, about a month before, record your performance without any
stop. This should be done at least once a week. Recordings also help detect any dangerous
part. Listen to the tape, check the tempo, rhythm, phrase, dynamics, balance and everything.
Recordings have to be done without any distraction such as telephone, visitor, and etc.
Attempt to play for someone before concert. This is a good practice to play under pressure and
again helps find a dangerous part of the piece.
If possible, make the keyboard of your piano a little heavier than usual. Then you won't feel the
concert piano too heavy. How to accomplish it? Ask your piano technician. This service should
not be too expensive.
3. Physically
Be healthy on the concert day. Keeping good health is another discipline. Audience expects a
fine performance. In order to play well, practice hard and be in good health.
In dry weather in the winter, sometimes a chapped finger tip is painful. Apply enough lotion on
fingers before going to bed. Do not hesitate to have a no practice day until the fingers are
healed. Having humidifier is strongly recommended during the cold weather.